Mobile gun emplacement



Filed Oct. 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I, m. mm mm W a 3 m H A M u m M 4L |m I'd i ml. 27, 1945. c. HERVEY 2,389,623

MOBILE GUN EMPLACEMENT Filed Oct. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 1 do! W W im vh .1. @J Y, 0 M F -v 5 n. w ;,T. A h

o m m m W 2 C M Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G 757') 10 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to emplacements for large guns of the 155 mm. class, and more particularly to a novel type of emplacement which possesses mobility. Although the calibre of gun to which the improved and mobile emplacement of this invention applies, has been identified as 15.5 mm., it will be understood that the invention is applicable to guns of larger and smaller size than 155 mm.

The emplacement now employed for 155 mm. guns is constructed of reinforced concrete and takes the form of an annular concrete ring of a radius commensurate with the overall length of the gun trails, in the center of which is a large concrete block upon which the gun carriage wheels rest. Where a 180 angular traverse is sufficient, the outer concrete ring is made in the form of a semi-circle. The concrete-type of gun emplacement is emphatically not mobile, as it involves preliminary excavation of the ground, setting up of forms, the pouring of concrete, the use of special reinforcement and other appurtenances, long periods of time to allow for the concrete to harden, etc. The pouring forms include a form for the outer ring and one for the center block. The space between the outer concrete rin or semi-ring, and the center concrete block is left excavated in the form of an annular pit circular for 360 traverse or semi-circular for 180 traverse. The annular pit is an essential part of the emplacement as it provides clearance for recoil movement of the breech end of the gun when the latter is fired with any considerable angular elevation.

The object of this invention is to provide a satisfactory emplacement for the 155 mm. class of guns which is mobile and which must therefore dispense with the use of concrete. Allied with this object, further objects of invention envision a mobile gun emplacement which can be made ready in a comparatively short period of time; a mobile gun emplacement which can be erected on comparatively irregular ground without the need of extensive grading; a mobile gun emplacement constructed for the most part of timber. It should be pointed out that timber is an ideal material for a gun emplacement under field conditions, as it is relatively light and easy to transport, and if pieces are destroyed, broken or lest, they may be readily fabricated from available'material. A further object of the invention is to provide a mobile gun emplacement which will permit easier and quicker gun traversing. Although the mobile gun emplacemer t of this invention has been shown in the fig res n conn c io w a ou d place: merit, itis clear that the invention may be ap plied to railroad or other cars.

For the attairunent of the foregoing and such other objects of invention as may appear or be p inted o t her in I h e s n. an. embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, whe n:

Fig, l is a side elevation of the improved emplacement, with a gun in place, and shown in dot-and-dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, with the gun shown in dotand-dash; lines.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lower bolster used in building the center gun support;

Fig. l is a detail, in plan, of the rail adjusting means, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation thereof.

A pointed out above, the annular pit in the concrete-type of emplacement, briefly described above, between the outer concrete ring and the center concrete block provides clearance for recoil of the breech. end of the gun when fired at an elevation. Recoil clearance is provided in the mobile emplacement. of this invention by mounting the gun a suificient distance above the ground. Forthis purpose the emplacement comprises a center post or pier 10 upon which the carriage of the gun is supported as best seen in Fig. l, and. a tail support 30 for the distal end of the gun trails T. The center post [0 is made up of a number of inter-connected pieces including an upper bolster block II, a lower bolster block l9 and a number of intermediate blocks I5. Two intermediate blocks 15 are shown in Fig. 1 for illustrative purposes, as it is clear that this number may be varied as desired. The two bolster blocks ll and I9 and the intermediate blocks l5 are preferably made from blocks of timber. The upper block II is reinforced at its top surface with an upper bolster I2 of iron While the bottom surface .of the lower block I!) has a lower iron bolster IS, the iron bolsters l2 and 18 being secured to the wooden bolster blocks, respectively, I l and I9, in any suitable manner.

The gun carriage is secured to the upper bolster block II by means of L-shaped bolts 2|, Ei which are anchored in the bolster block and which are turned to engage their upper laterally extending heads in overlying relation to ness between the center post I and the outer ring 30, more particularly, between the top surface of upper bolster l2 and the rail 3 of the outer ring, the intermediate blocks l5 have sloped upper and lower surface 55 clearly seen in Fig. :1. sloped surfaces It of the intermediate blocks slope or incline from the left downwardly to the right while the lower surfaces [6 slope upwardly from the left as viewed in Figure 1. At the left or widest part of the intermediate-"blocks they are articulated to each other, and the top interme- Upper vertical axes equidistant from the center on which the carriage rotates when swung in azimuth. In consequence, when the trails are parallel their extremities fall farther inward with respect to the rail 3, requiring supporting rollers nearer their extremities; whereas when spread they extend farther outward over the rail 3, and the inner set of rollers are required to aline with the rail. It is customary in such-carriages to secure the trails rigidly in either position to which they are adjusted, and so the two trails, the carriage, and the post structure may be swung as a unit around the axis of the king pin l with the diate block is articulated to the upper bolster bl'ock H, and 'the bottomintermediate block is articulated to the lower bolster block [9, by ball and socket joints ll. As shown in Fig. 3 in connection with a detail of the lower bolster block l9, each block, bolster and intermediate, is provided with two ball-and-socket fittings, one'at each end of the block.- By reason of the sloped surfaces l6 of the intermediate" blocks and the provision of ball-and-socket articulation between the blocks, they may be angularly" turned relative to each other for the purpose of adjusting the'angular dispositionof the upperbolster l2 relatively to the ground, and more particularly, to the outer rail 3, in order to compensate for unevenness of the ground at various points along the outer ring and between such points and the center post. The angularity of the center post blocks is adjusted by means-of two chain or rope tackles 20,

one at each side'of the blocks as shown in Fig.1. The upper blocks of the tackles are hooked into eyes or holes provided in flanges [3 of an iron cross yoke I2 extending to both sides of the upper bolster, while the lower tackle'blocks are hooked into side flanges 14 of an iron cross yoke I8 under the. loWen b'olster block l9.. Hence by manipulating the proper chains of the left and right tackles 26,.the toplbolster and the. gun carriage mounted and :securedthereon' maybe angularly disposed relatively to a horizontal plane, so as to preserve a fixed relationrto any part of the outer. ring 39, as may be required to' compensate for ground re ula t 7 The foot piece 3 I, which issecured to the distal end of the gun trail T by bolts 32, is provided with two pairs of brackets 33 and 34 at each end thereof. The brackets 33and 34 have wheels which ride onthe rail 3, that is, either the wheels 33'. of brackets 33 may ride n the rail or the wheels 34' of brackets 34 may do so. This is madev possible by the fact that the whe"els"33' and the wheels 34'v are disposed on the foot block 3| at different radial distances from the] center post. Two sets of rail wheels, 33' and 34', areprovided to accommodate thetwo conditions of the gun trailsfnamely', parallel trails, with the two trails in touching or' parall'el engagement, and spread trails;"with trails spread apart to an angle of In the parallel trails'condition, the outside wheels 33"rideon the annular rail, while in the spread-trailscondition, the inside wheels 34 ride on the rail;

This results'from the fact that in such gun carriages the trails are pivoted at laterally spaced appropriate set of rollers following the rail 3 in either case.

The parallel position of the trails has advantages for low elevation firing while the spread trail position is preferable for high angle fire,

as is known.

Initial azimuth traversing is accomplished by turning the gun, including the center post Ill about a king-pin l,'the wheels 33' or 34' of the trail foot 3| riding on the outer track rail 3. King pin is bolted in upright position to a mattress of timber pieces 2 which constitute the foundation-for the center post liL'with its upper portion extending above the center foundation 2 and received ina hole 29 in the lower bolster block 53. King pin i may be provided with a nut for its upper end, as shown in Fig.1.. The undersurface of the lower bolster'lll is provided with two pairs (see Fig. 3) of rollers 28; which ride on-an annular base plate 8,-Fig. 1, secured to the top one of the foundation timber pieces 2.

An important feature of the mobile gun emplacement is the facility with which the gun may betraversed by the employment of revolving bolsters which are conveniently rotatable, about a king pin. The bolster and particularly the kingpin are further important "in connection with the shock of recoil which is taken up by the king pin and also by the rails 3.

Timber pieces2 which provide the foundation for center post!!! are preferably'thick cross section lumber placed in a plurality of tiers three shownin Fig. 1- by way of illustration-with alternate tiers set at to theothers, and bolted together as shown. 'The center foundation of timber pieces 2 is of considerably greater area than the c ross-sectional area of center post Ill so as to distribute the pressure of the weightjof the gun over a sufficient ground area; The'lower two tiers of timber pieces '2, designatedb'and c in Fig. '1, are longer than the top tier (1 and may form a more or less circular base'which is'of larger diameter than the circular base of top tier 'a, affording a ledge 6 outwardly of the band. .1 (see also Fig. 2). The metal band encircles the peripheral or circumferential edge of toptier a. Ledge 6 is provided to support'one end of a'plurality of radial arms 4 formed from timber beams equally spaced around the outer post Hl as clearly seen in Fig: '2; The proximal endsof radial beams 4 abut'againstthemetal band I of the top tier ct and are secured to thetop tier by short metal plates 5 secured toj the top surface of the radial beams with the proximal end of the plates extending beyond the proximal ends'of the radial beams and turned downwardlyto form depend ing projections 5 which hook over the top'edge of the band'l in notches'provided along the circumference of top tier djust-behind the band 1, as best seen in Fig.1.; I

The distal end portions of the radial'beamsfll serve as supports'forthe-outer rail 3; and are provided with means for anchoring the rail and for adjusting the radial distance of the individual rail anchors. A detail of this adjustable rail anchoring means is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The top surface of the radial beam is provided along a short portion of its distal end with a metal plate 22 which is secured to the radial beam by means: of fiat-head bolts 23 which are countersunk to present a flush top surface. A plate 24 is mounted on the bolted plate 22. for a limited extent of adjustment in the radial direction. Rail 3 is secured to the slide plate 24 by means ofa back-stop .25 which fits snugly in the web of the rail as clearly seen in Fig. 5, and a bolted lug 26 which fits over the foot of the rail on the side opposite back-stop 25. For the purpose of providing means for imparting radial, adjusting movement to the slide plate 24 and hence to the rail secured thereto, the slide plate 24 is provided with a circular opening 27, in which is received a circular cam disc 37 which is eccentrically disposed relatively to a bolt 36 secured in radial beam d, the upper end of bolt 36 extending above the top of slide plate 24 where it is threaded for a nut-35. Eccentric cam disc 37 is rotatable relative to the fixed bolt 36 and is secured to the washer 35 of nut 35 as by means of a pin 38. Hence by turning the nut 35 the eccentric disc 31 may be turned, in circular hole 2'! of the slide plate 24,110 move the plate in a radial direction, i. e., left or right in Figs. 4 and 5.

To facilitate the initial traversing of the gun, a hand rod 48, see Fig. 1, may be provided at the distal end of gun trail T. To facilitate the handling of ammunition a suspension brace 41 may be provided on the two trails T and crew platform planks 42 spanned between the two suspension braces.

A temporary ramp 43, Fig. 2 may be provided to enable the gun to be rolled up to its perch on the center post ID.

The rail 3 may be provided with angular markings 9, in degrees or military mils, with which is cooperative a scale 39 carried at the distal end of one of the gun trails T, as in Figure 2.

If desired, side couplings i6 may be provided at each side of the post connecting mutually adjacent blocks E to each other and" connecting the top bolster H to the next adjacent block I5. These couplings are located on a transverse line through the axis of the respective adjacent pair of ball and socket devices ll, so that mutual pivotal adjustment of the blocks and bolsters rockingly may be effected by the tackle devices without interference. include hooks l3 and M at their upper and lower ends engaged in the apertured flanges I3 and I4. They also include conventional take up devices 20' by which the chain may be tautened or let out.

It will be understood that after the gun carriage is bolted to the upper bolster device II, should the level of the rail 3 under the trails be too high or too low to afford satisfactory support for the trails without straining the post structure, it is possible to effect adjustment of the trails upwardly or downwardly by loosening the tackle 20 at the rear side of the post and tightening it at the front side in the first instance, or vice versa for the second case. This obviates the need for disengaging fastenings between the gun carriage and the top bolster and enables the preservation of a rigid condition in the post and between the post and the gun carriage with a firm bearing of the trails on the rail 3, without The chain tackle devices the: use of wedges, chocks, or changing of timber pieces. Such adjustments will be frequently required in changing azimuth of the gun where the track. is laid upon roughly graded ground, for which use this invention is particularly intended.-

Respective bolts 45, with nuts 46, are engaged through the plates 5, arms 4 and tiers d, c, to hold. the arms upon the foundation, and at the same time hold the hooked ends of the plates 5 engaged within the band 1. Removal of the nuts 46 at the top ends of these bolts frees the inner ends of the arms for lifting from the foundation.

1 claim:

1. In a mobile emplacement for a gun having a carriage and traverse trails, in combination, a compression member center post for supporting the said gun carriage above the ground, an annular track means concentric with the post for supporting the distal ends of the said trails, said post comprising a part of adjustable inclination in the direction of the axis of the gun and adjustable means at front and rear of the Said part connected between vertically spaced portions of the said part to control and hold the adjusted inclination of the said part, the said post and track means being sufficiently high above the ground to provide clearance for recoil of the gun breech when fired at a high angular elevation.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the said center post comprises an upper bolster having a semi-spherical projection depending from its bottom surface, a lower bolster having a semi-spherical cavity in its top surface, and intermediate blocks having semi-spherical projections depending from their bottom surfaces and semi-spherical cavities in their top surfaces, the said semi-spherical projections and cavities of the bolsters and intermediate blocks being in vertical alignment near one end thereof, the top and bottom surfaces of each intermediate block being inclined convergently from the said end thereof.

3. The structure according to claim .1 wherein the said center post comprises an upper bolster having a semi-spherical projection depending from its bottom surface, a lower bolster having a semi-spherical cavity in its top surface, and intermediate blocks having semi-spherical projections depending from their bottom surfaces and semi-spherical cavities in their top surfaces, the said semi-spherical projections and cavities of the bolsters and intermediate blocks forming ball-and-socket bearings in vertical alignment near one end thereof, the top and bottom surfaces of each intermediate block being inclined convergently from adjacent the said ball-andsocket bearings to the rear part of the block, and means for pivotally adjusting the said bolsters and intermediate blocks about their said ball-and-socket bearings.

4. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the said center post comprises an upper bolster having a semi-spherical projection depending from its bottom surface, a lower bolster having a semi-spherical cavity in its top surface, and intermediate blocks having semi-spherical projections depending from their bottom surfaces and semi-spherical cavities in their top surfaces, the said semi-spherical projections and cavities of the bolsters and intermediate blocks forming ball-and-socket bearings in vertical alignment near one end thereof, the top and bottom surfaces of the intermediate blocks being inclined from the said ball-and-socket bearings, respective extensible and retractable tackle means at front and rear. sides of the post, connected between vertically spaced members thereof distant from a transverse line through said bearings for pivotally adjusting the said bolsters and intermediate blocks about their said ball-and-socket bearings. g 1 1;

,5. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the said center post comprises anupper bolster presenting a top surface to the gun carriage and a projecting ear at each end, a lowerv bolster affording a bottom bearing surface for the center post and a projecting ear at each end, intermediate blocks having inclined surfaces, and tackle means for adjusting the angular relationship of the said bolsters and intermediate blocks, the said tackle means including tackle blocks attached to the said ears of the bolsters.

6. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the said center post comprises an upper bolster block including a metal frame fixed to the top face of the block and provided with a projecting car at each end, the said top metal frame of the upper bolster being secured to the gun carriage, a lower revolvably mounted bolster block including a metal frame fixed to the bottom face of the block, and provided with a projecting ear at each end, the said bottom metal frame of the lower bolster affording a bottom bearing surface for the said center post, intermediate blocks having inclined surfaces and tackle means for adjusting the angular relationship of the said bolsters and intermediateblocks, the said tackle means including tackle blocks attached to the said ears of the bolsters.

7.'The structure according to claim 1 wherein the said center lpost comprises an upper bolster formed of a wooden block and a metal frame fixed to the top face of the wooden block and provided with a projecting ear at each end, the bottom surface of the wooden block of the upper bolster being provided with a pair of semispherical projections, the said top metal framev of the upper bolster being secured to the gun carriage, a lower bolster formed of a wooden block and a metal frame fixed to the bottom face of the wooden block and .provided with a projecting ear at each end, the top surface of the wooden block of the lower bolster being provided with a pair of semi-spherical cavities, the said bottom metal frame of the lower bolster affording a bottom bearing surface for the said center post, intermediate wooden blocks having a pair of semi-spherical projections depending from their bottom surfaces and a pair of semi-spherical cavities in their top surfaces, the said pairs of semi-spherical projections and cavities of the bolsters and intermediateblocks forming balland=socket bearings in vertical alignment near one end thereof, the top and bottom surfaces of.the intermediate blocks being inclined from the said ball-and-socket bearings, and tackle means for pivotally adjusting the said bolsters and intermediate blocks about their said pairs of ball-and-socket bearings, the said tackle means including tackle blocks attached to the said ears of the bolsters.

8. A mobile gun emplacement for a gun having a carriage and a pair of trails articulated at the said gun carriage and adapted to be brought together for parallel trails condition and spread apart for spread trails condition, in combination, a center post for supporting the said gun carriage and mounted for turning on a vertical axis, a circular track laid out with the said axis as center, and a support for the distal ends of the said gun, trails, the said trail support having wheels at different radial distances from the said vertical axis whereby the wheels at the greater radial distance are adapted to ride on the said track for said parallel trails condition and the other wheels at the lesser radial distance are adapted to ride on the said track for said spread trails condition. 7

9. In a mobile emplacement for a trail-traverse gun carriage, a center compression carriage support member comprising superposed segments constructed for and arranged in rocking bearing engagement with each other, a concentric trail supporting rail, and adjustable extensible and retractable tension means spaced from the parts of said segments having said bearing engagement with each other at opposite sides of said carriage support member.

10. In a mobile turn table mount for a gun carriage, having a central lpier for the carriage and a broader foundation for the pier, lateral arms therefrom, and a concentric trail-supporting track mounted at the extremities of the arms; wherein the said foundation comprises tiers of timber, the lower portion of the foundation extending beyond the upper part of the foundation to constitute a supporting ledge for said radial arms, the said upper portion of the foundation being circular in plan, said radial arms angularly spaced around the foundation, a. metal band encircling said upper portion, against which the proximal ends of said arms abut, metal ties included in the radial arms, said ties inseparable hooked engagement with the said circular band, and releasable means to fix the ties with the arms and ledge.

CHILION L. HERVEY. 

